Scott Lokers Hired As 12th Hope College Men’s Golf Head Coach

The 1981 Hope College graduate and former Flying Dutchmen golfer will succeed Bob
Ebels as head coach, co-athletic director Tim Schoonveld announced today. Ebels is
retiring after a successful 26-year run as head coach.

Lokers, 58, is promoted after serving the past five seasons as a volunteer assistant
coach for Ebels.

“I want to continue and build upon the excellence of Coach Ebels’ program,” Lokers
said. ‘I really do believe in the Hope College twin pillars of competitive excellence
and transformational experiences. We want to offer the best college experience we
can for these young men. It’s about helping them succeed on the golf course and every
aspect of their lives, helping them grow into great young men.”

Lokers becomes the 12th men’s golf coach in Hope College history. He succeeds Ebels,
who guided the Flying Dutchmen to 10 NCAA Division III Championship team appearances
and 14 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association titles between 1991 to 2016.

“We are excited to have Scott join our team and be the next head men’s golf coach
at Hope College,” Schoonveld said. “He is going to do a fantastic job coaching golf
and continuing our men’s golf success.

“His desire and ability to impact and influence young men are exactly what we desire
at Hope, and we are excited to see him take over the reigns of this program. We are
confident that he will build on the foundation that Coach Ebels and his teams have
laid for the past 26 years.”

Lokers is grateful for the mentorship from and friendship with Ebels.

“It’s been a great privilege to be invited to coach Hope golf, and a privilege to
serve as a volunteer assistant these past five years. I’ve learned a lot from him,”
Lokers said. “Bob built up the program. The successes he’s had — from excellence in
performance to helping these young men grow in every aspect of their lives — have
been fun to watch.”

Ebels asked Lokers to coach with him at Hope after the two played in a summer league
together.

After receiving encouragement from his family — his wife of 36 years, Susan, and daughters
Sarah and Anna — and the Overisel Reformed Church where he was pastoring at the time,
Lokers took Ebels up on the opportunity to return to a special place.

As a student, Lokers golfed for three seasons at Hope. Both of his daughters are also
Hope graduates, and Sarah golfed for three seasons for the Flying Dutch.

“Coaching has been a way to combine my love for Hope College, my love for golf and
my love for investing in other people, especially college students,” Lokers said.

Lokers has golfed since childhood, including amateur tournaments as an adult. He fondly
recalls golfing growing up with brother, Ray, and their now 98-year-old father, Ray.

Lokers has worked in ministry for most of his career since graduating from Hope College
with a degree in mathematics. After teaching for two years, he went back to school
to become an ordained minister. He has been doing interim transition work the past
three years for the Reformed Church in America.

Ebels believes Lokers is the right coach for the Flying Dutchmen.

“He loves this age of kid. He has felt a calling to have an impact in their lives:
mentoring and modeling the way it should be,” Ebels said. “He loves Hope immensely.
He’s a good golfer. He can compete, which gives him credibility to the parents and
the kids who are looking at Hope.”